Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1887-05-28
AUSIINS FOH ALLIGATOkS.

Experience of q Party of New Workers In the
s~Amps OF tho Fior,a~ PsuinsuiA.
Kis s:immee TIA Correspondence.
Have you ever enjoyed an alligator hsnt?
If you have not my experience may be inter-
esting. Before starting out l was told that
alligator hunting was an exciting sport
| found 1t particularly 80. Yesterday We
chartered a steam launch for the trip. Our
party consisted OF five who had never. seen
an alligator in his native home, and the cap
tain OF the launch, who was an old sports
man in alligator hunting. We were armed
with good rifles, and had q full supply OF am.
muniuon. Our destination was Lake Cypress
and Cypress river, where reports said that
alligstors we're plentiful. The trip across the
lake was very fine, ard in the course of an
hour We arrived at the mouth Of the Distan
canal, which connects the Cypress lake with
Cypress river, and Is about 10 miles long. 1t
Is cut through a country OF rich tropical
growth. In an hour and half We reached
a smaller lake, and on the opposite side was
the wished for Cypress river.
Our trolling line had resulted in q fine
mess Of fish. Finding q good camping
ground We landed, built q ire and began
cooking the catch, which with our stores,
furnis ed an excellent meal. We then
pushed our way up the river, and we're soon
among the slligatOrs. The first we saw was
good sized creature over eight feet long,
and am not likely TO forget 1t for some time
The animal lay apparently asleep on the
bank among the tall grass and palmetto
bushes. The captain raised his Titie and
blsZsd away. His aim was good and the
bali struck the right eye. Instead OF max.
ing for the water, ~ wounded alligatOrs gen.
orally do, the creature lay quite still. We
all believed 1t dead, and working the boat to
shore, we lesped on the bank with shout OF
victory. One OF the party and myself caught
the prize by the tail and endeavOred to pull
1t further up the bank while We hailed our
companions But the alligator WAS not dead.
With one flap OF the tail 1t sent US heels up
| ward in less time than 1t takes to write the
fact The rest OF the party began to beat
hasty retreat tpward the boat while WAS
captain shouted to run for dear life, a. we had
" nit hornets nest The alligator was is.
male and WAS nursing nest OF young.
The rest OF the party got safely on the boat,
but ~ was nearest the wounded alligator
her sound eye soon detected me, and the
chase began. With wide open mouth brist.
ling sharp teeth she made tor me, and my
retreat was cut OIL. ! was not long in dis,
covering that ! WAS on small island. The
alligator appeared every moment to grow
larger and larger to my distorted vision. l
was fairly cornered, and at last took to the
water, fOrgetful in my fright that an alligator
Ia ~ formidable in the water as on land. AZ
l dashed into the river Mr.. Alligator WAS
close upon ms. ! expected every moment to
have those wide.Open avs shut about my
body. There stood up to my waist In the
river, and within six feet of me was the mad
dsned alligator, one eye running with blood,
the other like burning coal. l could have
shot her easily, but found that my rifle was
not loaded and Gil my ammunition was In the
boat ! was In dispair and was onsideripg
whether to swim to the boat or club my rifle
and fight, when / heard q rife crack, fol.
lowed quickly by another, and the alligator
WAS q corpse.
The party then landed, built fire, and
dried my clothes, while the others ate their
dinner. Somehow ! did not have much sp-
petite left We reembarked and started
after more alligstorA ! did not leave the
boat after that, but with the rest did some
fair shooting. We killed nine. piled sll the
and took them down the river 70 our first
camping ground.